bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.22.424082; this version posted December 24, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. Functional architecture of the pancreatic islets: First responder cells drive the first-phase [Ca2+] response Vira Kravetsa,b, JaeAnn M. Dwuleta, Wolfgang E. Schleicherb, David J. Hodsonc, Anna M. Davis,a Robert A. Piscopiob, Maura Sticco-Ivins,b Richard K.P. Benningera,b,1. a Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical campus, Aurora, CO. USA b Barbara Davis center for childhood diabetes, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical campus, Aurora, CO. USA c Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham. UK, and Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham, UK 1 To whom correspondence should be addressed:
[email protected] Tel: (303) 724-6388. Fax: (303) 724-5800. 1775 Aurora court, M20-4306D, mailstop B140, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus, Aurora, CO. 80045. Short title: First responder cells control islet function Keywords: Laser ablation; Multicellular Dynamics; Biological Networks; Optical Microscopy; Diabetes; Gap junctions. Manuscript word count (main text, excluding methods): 5311. Abstract word count: 294 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.22.424082; this version posted December 24, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. Abstract Insulin-secreting b-cells are functionally heterogeneous. Subpopulations of b-cells can control islet function and the regulation of hormone release, such as driving the second (oscillatory) phase of free-calcium ([Ca2+]) following glucose elevation.